Special Investigator

Job Summary

The Special Investigator conducts, documents, and completes investigations involving allegations or significant incidents made against Hillside staff that involve service recipients. Investigators will be assigned investigations throughout Hillside.

Essential Job Functions

• Conduct investigations into allegations of abuse and neglect or significant incidents delegated to Hillside by the Office of Mental Health (OMH) or Office for Persons with Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD).
• Conduct investigations into allegations of abuse and neglect incidents involving staff in programs not under the jurisdiction of the NYS Justice Center.
• Respond to inquiries from OMH, OPWDD, NYS Justice Center, and local or state law enforcement regarding an allegation of abuse or neglect.
• Initiate investigations in a timely, compliant, confidential, and flexible manner, which may include evenings and weekends work, as necessary.
• Conduct witness interviews and take witness statements.
• Collect evidence by gathering and reviewing all pertinent documents, letters, email or other communications, damaged property, photos, audio or video files, etc.
• Compile and retain investigative information in an orderly, organized and confidential manner.
• Write investigative reports in an objective, thorough, and concise manner.
• Draw conclusions resulting from investigations in an unbiased, impartial, rational, and objective way.
• Remain knowledgeable in Hillside policies and keeps abreast of regulations, reporting requirements and methodology to perform accurate investigations.
• Participate in Special Review meetings to review assigned investigations.
• Attend DO SIRC meetings to answer questions related to investigations.
• Complete breach of client information investigations as needed.
• While this job description covers many aspects of the role, employees may be required to perform other duties as assigned.
  
  

Education & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree required with minimum 3 years of experience in child and family human services or related fields required; or
• Associate’s degree (e.g., paralegal studies) required with minimum 5 years of relevant investigative, legal support, compliance, or related experience required (e.g., collecting and reviewing evidence, interviewing witnesses, analyzing records, preparing investigative reports, or supporting administrative or legal proceedings, and etc.)
  
  

-AND-

• Minimum 2 years of experience with investigations involving vulnerable persons required
  
  

Special Requirements

• Unrestricted, valid NYS driver’s license for minimum of 1 year with a clean driving record and minimum insurance coverage that meets agency standards.
  
  

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

In addition to demonstrating the Hillside Professional Competencies of Communicates Effectively , Personal Excellence, Cultural Competence, Builds and Leverages Relationships and Optimizes Decision Making, the following occupational competencies must be demonstrated:

• Must possess excellent writing skills and the ability to communicate potentially complex events in a written format.
• Knowledge of relevant organizational policies, procedures, and applicable regulations to conduct thorough, objective, and credible investigations.
• Knowledge of, or the ability to learn, verbal and physical intervention techniques relevant to the organization’s operations.
• Proficiency with MS Office including MS Outlook, MS Word, MS Excel, and MS PowerPoint.
• Basic knowledge of NYS Regulatory bodies including but not limited to Office of Mental Health, Office of Children and Family Services, Office for Persons with Developmental Disabilities, Department of Health, and State Education Dept. of NYS.
• Maintain the highest ethical and confidentiality standards.
  
  

Physical Demands & Work Environment

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• The following physical demands are required:
• Occasional sitting (up to 8 hours)
• Occasional standing (up to 2 hours)
• Occasional walking (up to 2.5 hours)
• Occasional driving (up to 4 hours)
• Continuous balancing (up to 8 hours)
• Occasional balancing, bending, stooping, climbing, kneeling, pushing, pulling, reaching forward or down, reaching overhead, running, and twisting (up to 2.5 hours)
• Weekly carrying up to 55 lbs. approximately 10-100 ft., 10-15 lbs. on a daily basis
• Manual dexterity is required, including the frequent ability to grasp in both hands and continuous use of fine manipulation skills in both hands (approximately 1-2.5 hrs.)
• Occasional exposure to dust, fumes, gases or chemicals is apparent
• Ability to change positions as needed
  

SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS

• May be required to interview youth with special needs and history of trauma as well as their family members.
• May learn of traumatic events, both past and current, involving service recipients, which includes the investigation itself.
• May observe youth engaged in verbally or physically aggressive acts with one another or staff, as well as staff actions to prevent harm to youth or others.
  
  

$62,500 Minimum pay rate, $75,000 Maximum pay rate, based on experience.